Sri Thanu beach offers a chance to see Koh Phangan as it once was. Being the hub for tin mining before the island turned to tourism there is interesting spots to visit including Laem Son Lake.

There is a also a number of small fishing vessels catching squid from the beach and the are lots of small eateries, food stalls and excellent restaurants in the area.

The village of Baan Sri Thanu is a quiet little town that maintains a more Thai feel than other more developed areas on Koh Phangan but offers a good selection of shops and restaurants and more services than many lower key spots.

Half of the beach here has been developed into a small anchorage for the local fishing fleet, which has had a detrimental effect on the beach and the water quality toward the middle and southern end of the beach. A good deal of noise can be expected as boats come and go, but this is luckily not an all day phenomenon. Despite this, the northern end still has reasonable swimming and sunbathing, and a nearby coral reef is a convenient spot to do some snorkelling. Much of this wide sandy beach is unshaded, so pack plenty of sunblock and a hat.

The northern end of the bay is more popular with a good mix of budget accommodations, some of which are divided by an often nasty river as you get further toward the middle of the beach. At the southern end of the bay there is a small cluster of places, some on the bay shore but mostly up on the headland. This southern area is quieter and more low key, and while the views are quite nice, the beach is not.